According to the National Command and Operation Centre, Pakistan recorded 2,783 cases and 39 people died of COVID-19 on Saturday (NCOC).
According to the NCOC, a total of 49,247 individuals were tested for the virus on Friday, with 2,783 of them testing positive.
This increases the country’s overall positivity rate to 5.65%. The nation had previously recorded an increase in the virus’s positivity rate, which had risen to 6.17 percent. In May, Pakistan’s positivity rate surpassed 6% for the first time in nearly two months.
Since the start of the pandemic, the overall number of COVID-19 infections in Pakistan has grown to 986,668, with 45,579 active cases.
In terms of recovery, 918,329 individuals have recovered from the illness, whereas 22,759 have died as a result of the virus.
Asad Umar, the chief of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), has advised people who have not been vaccinated against COVId-19 to stay away from northern areas.
Umar stated that care is required during the Eid holidays “so that your entertainment does not become the cause of someone’s death” during a press conference in Islamabad on Friday.
Those who do not get vaccinated are seven times more likely to acquire COVID-19 than those who receive both doses, according to the NCOC head.
He said, “Please get vaccinated.”
The data analytics run by the ncoc team shows that comparative data of Pakistani's who have been vaccinated versus those who are not vaccinated shows a marked difference in risk. The un vaccinated pakistani's are at 7 times higher risk of getting covid. Please get vaccinated
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) July 16, 2021
He claims that following vaccination, the chance of contracting the COVID-19 is much decreased and that even if one contracts the virus after vaccination, they will be protected from severe illness and death.
According to Umar, 22.1 million individuals have been immunized thus far.
The threat of Delta variant
Meanwhile, Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, stated today that 2,500 new cases are reported every day.
He cautioned that the Delta (Indian) strain of the virus is rapidly spreading and urged individuals to wear masks while in the company of others.
Last week, Umar warned that owing to a lack of compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the propagation of the Delta version, the fourth COVID-19 wave may commence in Pakistan.
Dr Nausheen Hamid, the Federal Parliamentary Health Secretary, stated three days ago that the Delta variety accounts for 50 per cent of all infections in Pakistan.
Out of 163 positive cases recorded in Karachi on Thursday, 65 were found to be of the Delta variant.
Indoor restaurants, amusement parks, water parks, tourist attractions, theatres, gyms, and indoor activities have all been banned by the Sindh government.
In addition, schools have been closed throughout the province. Exams will be held for students in grades nine and above, after which schools will be closed to them as well.
Delta is 55 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant, which was itself 50 per cent more transmissible than the original Wuhan virus, according to the World Health Organization.
